Legendary Washington Nationals Pitcher Stephen Strasburg Finally Retires From Baseball
Reports first started to surface that Stephen Strasburg would be retiring last August, and now the longtime Washington Nationals ace has finally made it official.
Nearly two years after throwing his last pitch in an MLB game, longtime Washington Nationals ace Stephen Strasburg has retired from baseball.
Strasburg, a three-time All-Star and 2019 World Series MVP, announced his decision Sunday morning.
"Today, I am announcing my retirement from the game I love," Strasburg said in a statement. "I realized after repeated attempts to return to pitching, injuries no longer allow me to perform at a Major League level."
Strasburg went on to thank his fans, teammates, coaches, trainers and the Nationals owners for helping his childhood dream come true.
Owner Mark D. Lerner and general manager Mike Rizzo shared statements of their own as well.
"No one can dispute the indelible impact he had on out organization," Lerner said. "He put us on the map as World Champions and changed the face of our franchise. Thank you, Stephen – for everything – and congratulations on a tremendous career."
Reports first started to surface that Strasburg planned to retire last August, but several roadblocks stood in the way of him making it official. There were still three years and $105 million left on his contract, and ownership was reportedly making it difficult for him to walk away then and there.
Now, The Washington Post is reporting that Strasburg has agreed to defer some of his remaining salary, although it is not yet known how that deferral is being structured.
Strasburg signed a seven-year, $245 million deal with the Nationals following the 2019 season. He wound up making just eight more starts after putting pen to paper.
The No. 1 overall pick in the 2009 MLB Draft was an all-time phenom coming out of San Diego State. He famously notched 14 strikeouts in his big league debut in 2010, marking the start to what turned out to be quite the storied career.
Strasburg was named an All-Star in 2012, 2016 and 2017. He finished ninth in NL Cy Young voting in 2014, third in 2017 and fifth in 2019.
For his career, Strasburg racked up 113 wins, 1,723 strikeouts, a 3.24 ERA, a 1.096 WHIP and a 32.3 WAR.
The Nationals wouldn't have won their first and only World Series title if it weren't for Strasburg, either. Strasburg went 5-0 with a 1.98 ERA, 0.936 WHIP and 47 strikeouts across 36.1 innings in the 2019 playoffs.
Thoracic outlet syndrome, shoulder injuries, rib injuries and more prevented Strasburg from carrying that momentum through the next few seasons, and now the 35-year-old righty has been forced to call it quits early.
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